Physics

Ch-1.8 (Pressure)
Sub; Teacher: Zamurat Pervin By: Safiul Faruk (Faiyaz)

Pressure is defined as the force acting per unit area

Pressure= Force/Area Pressure (Pascal/Pa)
Force (Newton/N)
Area (square meter/M2)
The SI or standard unit of pressure is pascal or (Pa)
One pascal is the newton per square meter (Nm2)
Pressure is dependent on two factors:
1. Force: Force is directly proportionate to pressure so if force increases pressure
increases. P ∝ F
2. Area: Area is inversely proportionate to pressure so area increases pressure
1
decreases. p ∝ (Here 1/A means area is decreasing so pressure will increase.)
A

Force: Greater force exerts higher pressure with the same area.
Area: Larger area causes less pressure with same force. F

P A
Pressure is the concentration of a force:
 If a force is spread over a large area, it will result is lesser pressure.
 If it is spread over a small area greater it will result in greater pressure.
Ex: When you push a drawing pin on a table, it goes into the surface rather than your
finger because the force on the surface is more concentrated into a smaller area of the pin
resulting in greater pressure.
Calculate the pressure exerted by a girl on the ground if her mass is 50kg and the area of
shoes in contact with the ground is (i) 150cm2 with high heels and (ii)400cm2 with normal
ones.

(i) We first convert them to their SI units or the correct units needed by the
equation
We know 1kg=10N
So, 50kg=500N
1cm2= 1/10000m2
So, 150cm2= 150/10000m2
P=F/A
P=500/(150/10000)
P=33333.33333 Pa
P=3.33*104 Pa
(i) We first convert them to their SI units or the correct units needed by the
equation
We know 1kg=10N
So, 50kg=500N
1cm2= 1/10000m2
So, 400cm2= 400/10000=0.04cm2
P=F/A
P=500N/0.04
P=12500 Pa
P=1.2500*104 Pa
Pressure in Liquids:
When an object is immersed in a liquid, the liquid will exert a pressure squeezing the
object. The pressure is exerted evenly across the whole surface of the liquid and in all
directions.
There are four main points in pressure in liquids they are:
 Liquid exerts pressure in all directions.
 Liquid pressure depends on the depth of the liquid. Increasing depth means
increasing pressure.
 Liquid pressure depends on the density of the liquid. The denser the liquid is the
higher the pressure
 Liquid pressure does not depend on the size or shape of the container.
Equation of liquid pressure:
The extent of liquid pressure depends upon the density( ρ) of the liquid the depth(h) of the
object and the gravitational field strength(g)
In the equation:
Pressure is in pascals (Pa)= Where 1Pa is the same as 1N/m2
Depth/Height is in meters (m)
Density is in kg/m3
The gravitational field strength on Earth is approximately 10N/kg
Liquid Pressure or P=h*g* ρ

Transmission of pressure in liquids

If pressure is applied to an enclosed liquid, the pressure is transmitted equally to all other
parts of the liquid. This is known as Pascal’s principle
Hydraulic machine is the application of Pascal’s principle.
It uses liquid to transmit pressure and enables heavy objects like cars to be lifted with
small amounts of effort.

The Hydraulic Press

The hydraulic press is a type of hydraulic machine.
1. When force Fx acts on a piston 1, the equation of the pressure is:
Px=Fx/Ax Px=Pressure Ax=Area of Piston 1
Fx=Force
2. The pressure Px is transmitted equally to every part of the liquid
3. Pressure below the wider piston is equal to the pressure below the narrower piston

So,
Pressure is equal: Px=Py
As the area of the wider piston is greater: Ay>Ax
And as the area is greater, even greater force is needed to lift it so: Fy>Fx
Because when a small force acts on a small piston, it results in a larger force acting on the
bottom of the larger piston as the smaller piston has lesser surface area so even when a
smaller force is exerted on it the pressure is very great and the pressure acts on the lrger
piston. This allows larger loads to be lifted with relatively smaller forces.